


If You're Ready (Like I'm Ready)

by ClassyFangirl



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-14
Updated: 2013-10-14
Packaged: 2017-12-29 08:56:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1003463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClassyFangirl/pseuds/ClassyFangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermann pops the question.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You're Ready (Like I'm Ready)

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for an anonymous prompter on tumblr!

The Breach has been closed for precisely seven hundred and twenty-three days, and Newt and Hermann have been in a romantic and sexual relationship for seven hundred and twenty. Hermann thinks this a long enough courtship to determine that yes, they are going to be stuck together for the rest of their lives, so they might as well make it official.

Logically, Hermann sees nothing wrong with presenting the facts to Newt, explaining things simply- “we have excellent sex, I am very much in love with you, I believe you are very much in love with me, we ought to take advantage of the benefits that come with marriage” -but Hermann is not a robot. He _is_ capable of romance, which delights Newt constantly, and he really would like to make it a _nice_ proposal.

When he has his plan put together, he has one week until the anniversary of the closing of the Breach. He can do this.

 

ooo

 

The day before the anniversary, Hermann, from the kitchen, calls out, “Newton, is your tuxedo ready? I _won’t_ have a repeat of last year’s disaster.”

“It’s ready, Hermann!” Newt yells back from the bedroom, where he is finishing packing. “You’ve asked me that every day this week! Geez!”

It’s become tradition- or as much tradition as there can be in two years -that VK-Day itself is a day of celebration, while the day after is reserved for remembering everyone who died in the kaiju attacks, whether they died on the streets or in a jaeger. Newt and Hermann, along with the other top-ranking PPDC survivors, have been invited to a gala in San Francisco, which has been reconstructed rather well in the last thirteen, almost fourteen years. It’s not a long flight from Boston to San Francisco, but they _do_ have to be at the airport rather soon.

Hermann double-checks (triple-checks? he’s checked and rechecked _endlessly_ ) that the ring is in his pocket. Everything is prepared. He has rehearsed this moment a thousand times.

He is _absolutely terrified_ of it going wrong.

Newt comes out of the bedroom, their suitcase rolling behind him. “All right, all right, we’re ready. I promise, I’ve got _everything_ , it is _not_ gonna be like last year- you ready to go, babe?”

Hermann nods, pulling his hand out of his pocket. “Yes. Let’s go.”

Here goes nothing.

No. What a horrifically inaccurate statement. Here goes _everything_.

 

ooo

 

They touch down in California at nine PM, midnight Eastern time, and they are exhausted. Newt actually falls asleep first for once, passing out on the bed as soon as he hits the mattress. Hermann takes the opportunity to practice.

He mouths the words to himself in the bathroom mirror, repeats them, edits them. He does his exercises. He has to get this right. He must _not_ ruin this.

Hermann hides the ring in his jacket pocket and falls asleep next to Newt, anxious and terrified.

The next day, they get ready for the gala, getting dressed, Hermann trying to tame Newt’s hair into something presentable and giving up. (Newt’s hair apparently does not abide by the laws of physics- he does not wear any product in it, yet it sticks straight up of its own accord, as if mocking gravity itself.)

“Why’d we have to get ready so early, man?” Newt says, fiddling with his bow tie. “We don’t have to be there until five, right? We’ve got _hours_ to kill and you can’t do _anything_ in a tux.”

“I wanted to preempt your attempts at procrastinating,” Hermann says. It’s only half a lie. Newt can take an _eternity_ to wake up and get ready some days. “And it’s always better to be early rather than late, of course.”

Newt’s back is to him, so Hermann takes the ring from his pocket and eases himself down onto one knee. He’s been practicing, and he can do it without any pain or fear of repercussions later. “Yeah, but _three hours_ early?” Newt says. “Come _on,_ man, even you’re not that-” He turns, and stares. “Hermann, what the hell, get _up_ , doesn’t that hurt?”

“It does not,” Hermann says. Newt is apparently oblivious to the ring in his hand.

“But we’re gonna be standing for _hours_ at this thing, and you ached for _days_ after the last one, come on, man, get up, get up-” Newt moves towards him, as if to hoist him up. “I’ll massage your leg, that always helps-”

“Newton!” he snaps. “Pay _attention_ for once, for god’s sake!”

They’ve deviated from the script already, but Hermann supposes he should’ve expected that. After a moment, Newt seems to finally notice the ring, and he gapes. “Hermann- _Hermann_ -”

“Newton Geiszler,” Hermann says, cutting off the oncoming ramble. “I love you, and I have loved you for six years now. I regret not acting on those feelings until two years ago, when I suddenly had definitive proof that you felt the same. I would quite like to make up for those missing years by...” Oh, _god,_ Newt looks so utterly starry-eyed, Hermann thinks he may cry. He must _not,_ that would ruin this whole endeavor. He’s a sloppy crier, it’s the furthest thing from romantic. “By spending the rest of my life with you. Newton- Newt. Will you marry me?”

Newt makes a hideous _squealing_ noise and drops to his knees so he can pull Hermann into a hug. “Yes! Yes, yes, _yes,_ oh my _god_ , you- yes, you, you, _Hermann_. I love you, I love you, I _love you_ , yes, I’ll marry you, I will marry you _so hard_ -”

Hermann can’t help but laugh, partially from Newt’s utter joy, and largely from his own. “Then let go of me so I can put the ring on you, you insufferable child.”

Newt lets go and holds out his left hand. Hermann carefully slides the ring onto his finger and lets him examine it. The ring is a simple silver band, but the outside is patterned in a way to resemble scales. “It’s supposed to look like kaiju skin,” Hermann says as Newt gawks at it. “On the inside, there’s a short line of the original jaeger OS code. I’ve...had it for a while, and I only recently decided now was the time to ask.”

Newt gives him a wide, earnest smile. His eyes look wet with unshed tears. “You are the sweetest, craziest old man I’ve ever loved,” he says. “ _Danke_ , Hermann.” He leans forward and kisses Hermann softly. “I can’t _wait_ to be your husband.”

“Nor can I,” Hermann says. “Now- you were worried about those extra three hours. I know plenty of ways we could fill them up.”

Newt grins wickedly at him. “Oh, _of course_. Romantic _and_ sexy- I couldn’t possibly have a better fiancé.”

 

ooo

 

“Where _are_ they?” Herc hisses at Mako and Raleigh. “Gottlieb _swore_ he’d have them here on time this year, and I don’t want to start the speech without them.”

“Still got half an hour, Marshall,” Raleigh says. “I’m sure they’ll be here soon.”

“Damn speech at six, supposed to have my scientists here at five,” Herc grouses. “Bastards, the both of them-”

“Just saw ‘em,” Tendo says, jogging into the room. “They’re almost here- just give them a chance to catch up.”

“Guess what!” Newt says, Hermann in tow. “Guess what, guess what, guess what!”

“Apologies for our tardiness, Marshall,” Hermann says. His tuxedo looks rather rumpled, as does Newt’s. “We were...delayed.”

“Mako! Mako, _guess what_!”

“What?” she asks, half-smiling at his enthusiasm.

Newt holds out his left hand. Mako stares at it for a moment, then gasps delightedly. “Oh, doctors, congratulations!”

“What?” Raleigh peers over her shoulder and grins. “Aw, hey, that’s great!”

“What? What’re we grinning about?” Tendo asks.

Newt shows him his hand, and Tendo claps his shoulder happily. “Gottlieb, you _dog,_ ” he says. “Hey, Marshall, look at this- he finally popped the question.”

Herc finally gets to see the ring. He takes in Newt’s absolutely _thrilled_ expression, Hermann’s shy, embarrassed smile, their wrinkled suits and their messy hair. “Congrats, doctors,” he says, smiling. He’s a decent man- he’s willing to forgive a couple for being late if new engagement sex is their excuse.

After the speeches, everyone mills about with the guests, chatting, eating, listening to the orchestra. Newt and Hermann dance all night.


End file.
